Football has always been about more than the game for Tayler Hawkins. From his formative years at San Diego State to hoisting a UFL championship trophy with the DC Defenders, Hawkins’ path is a testament to perseverance, faith, and the power of connection.

“It feels good, honestly,” Hawkins said, still soaking in the triumph of his first UFL title. “I haven’t had much time to really reflect — we got back a couple days ago — but it definitely feels good to be a champ again, man.”

Hawkins’s championship moment is the latest chapter in a winding journey that began in Palm Springs and found footing at SDSU, where he played from 2016 to 2021. What drew him to SDSU?

 “Mainly like the winning culture. I’ve always been a sore loser, so I like to win,” Hawkins said. “They had a culture already built there… and it was close to home, so you know, can’t really beat it.”

During his Scarlet and Black days, Hawkins showcased versatility, switching between safety and cornerback while playing alongside future NFL and UFL talents like Rashaad Penny, Matt Araiza, Cameron Thomas, Kyree Woods and Turner Bernard.

“It definitely means a lot,” Hawkins reflected. “A lot of the DBs I played with are still playing right now. That brotherhood… that’s something that’s gonna last a lifetime for sure. Some of those guys gonna be at my wedding.”

Hawkins carved out standout moments in the Mountain West championship game appearances, thrilling bowl victories and unforgettable battles.

 “My first year there, playing in the championship game, and then my last year playing in that championship game — those really stick with me,” he said. “We won a lot of games over there, man. My college experience was probably second to none.”

Going undrafted in 2022, Hawkins signed with the San Francisco 49ers. There, he endured the highs of making an NFL debut and the lows of injury setbacks. His interception in the season finale in 2024 against the Rams was a career highlight, but shortly after came wrist surgery.

 “It was like a good moment for about a couple days… after that, it was just back to normal. I had to find a way to do it again and get healthy,” Hawkins said.

His time with the 49ers, including a Super Bowl run while on injured reserve, offered lessons that continue to guide him.

 “Just to be where your feet are, take it one day at a time, and try to stack good days,” Hawkins said. “Keep my feelings out of it. It’s all business. You gotta see the bigger picture.”

That bigger picture brought Hawkins to the UFL, where he joined a DC Defenders team known for grit and unity. 

“It’s definitely a great opportunity to get back in the league,” Hawkins said. “The tape is out there… and everybody can see. Hopefully I get a call this summer, and if not, I’ll be back out here next year and ride it till the wheels fall off.”

In DC, Hawkins found a familiar Aztec connection in defensive backs coach Vernon Dean — a former SDSU standout and two-time Super Bowl champion.

“Dean, that’s my guy, man,” Hawkins said. “He’s an Aztec. So just off that alone it’s a different kind of relationship… I play hard for him.”

Dean shared similar admiration.

“He was a dude at San Diego State,” Dean said. “Great cover skills, boundary corner, would come up and tackle really well. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around.” 

Dean’s respect for Hawkins goes beyond shared alma mater ties.

“Great athlete, hard worker, a guy that knows what he needs to work on, and he works on it every day.”

Dean’s mentorship, shaped by his own winding path from junior college to the NFL, has been invaluable.

“Having that DB background, he could relate to some of the stuff we were going through on the field and with injuries,” Hawkins said. “Dean would let you know when you was wrong — no sugar coating it in this game.”

For both coaches and players, the UFL represents more than just football — it’s a platform for second chances.

“Most of these guys now, they realize that hey, this could be their last shot,” Dean said. “They come in with the right discipline, the right attitude. Taylor came in, made an impact right away.”

And Hawkins? He’s not done chasing the dream.

“I’m gonna keep training, staying in shape, get my wrist right,” he said. Off the field, he’s investing in his future: AI, crypto, real estate.

“Football comes to an end one day… I’m just gonna be smart with my money and multiply it in many different ways.”

Hawkins offers simple advice to Aztecs aiming for the pros: “Chase your dreams. It’s possible. Don’t let the money or the girls get you in trouble… keep the main thing the main thing.”

In Hawkins, Dean sees a player who has what it takes to earn that next opportunity.

“There’s no reason why Tayler Hawkins shouldn’t get a chance to play in the NFL this year,” Dean said. “He’s got the athleticism, the speed, the mind, and the mental makeup. And he’s 100% professional.”

As Hawkins waits for the next call, he remains grounded by the same faith and drive that carried him from SDSU to the NFL to UFL glory.

“God’s got a plan for me,” he said. “Just gotta keep following His plan.”

Jul. 5—Ishmael Kipkurui has run his last race for the UNM Lobos.

The NCAA record holder, 2025 outdoor national champion in the 10,000 meters and four-time All-American has signed a professional contract with Nike and will return to his native Kenya to train, according to an initial report by TheStrideReport.com and confirmed by UNM Track & Field coach Dan Gauson.

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“We’re thrilled Ishmael has secured a spot on the Kenyan team for the World Championships in Tokyo,” Gauson said in a statement released by UNM. “We’d like to express our gratitude for his contributions to Lobo Track and Field and offer our full support as he embarks on this new chapter with Nike.

“As one of the world’s top 10,000m talents, we can’t wait to see him shine in the future.”

His first competition as a professional runner was Saturday in Eugene, Oregon, at the Prefontaine Classic, where he finished fifth in the 10K in a personal best time of 26:47.72.

As he donned the Nike running jersey and had already signed with Nike, the personal best is not considered a new UNM record.

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UNM teammate and fellow Kenyan runner Pamela Korsgei, a two-time national champion last month in Eugene, ran in a UNM jersey later in the day as she completed the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:22.66 — a little less than seven seconds slower than her personal best set this past season with the Lobos. She finished 15th in the elite field of the world’s best.

Kipkurui, a true freshman, set the NCAA outdoor record in the 10K in March at 26:50.21 and also posted the fourth fastest time in collegiate history in the 5,000 meters (13:09.24).

Both Kipkurui and Kosgei are semifinalists for the men’s and women’s Bowerman, the award given each year to track’s top athlete.

CHAMPIONSHIP CHASE: Los Alamos High School graduate Chase Jackson (formerly Chase Ealey when she was a state champion sprinter and thrower for the Hilltoppers) set a Prefontaine record in the shot put, throwing 20.94 meters (68 feet, 8.5 inches).

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“I feel like I’m ready to throw 21, and I’m ready to do it at a big meet,” Jackson said. “I’m excited to get some training days with my coach … excited to clean it up and see what we can do going into Tokyo (the 2025 World Championships).”

Ealey, a multiple time Olympic qualifier, is a two time gold medalist at the past two World Championships (2022 and 2023) and holds the U.S. record in the shot put at 20.95 meters (68 feet, 8.75 inches). In 2024, she had a pair of fouls and did not qualify for the finals in the Paris Olympics.

“I just have to have a goldfish mindset — forget about (Paris) — and that’s kind of what I’ve done,” Jackson said. “I’m using it to push harder and this season I’ve never been more driven, so I’m just taking that into Tokyo and going for my third world title in a row.”

The BOV Volleyball Marathon in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza is back with 53 hours of non-stop play in the home’s Siġġiewi car park. The 15th edition of the marathon will get under way, under the patronage of President Myriam Spiteri Debono, on July 18 at 6.30pm and end at midnight of July 20. Forty players, selected after six weeks of training, will form five teams.

In a short address during the presentation of the players to the media, Mgr Martin Micallef, director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, said that this year the home is celebrating its 60th anniversary besides the 15th edition of this marathon.

He spoke about the dire need of funds with which Id-Dar tal-Providenza can continue offering the services it currently offers to its 115 residents. He revealed that the home is in the process of opening more homes in the community and urged one and all to attend the marathon and support the players who “enter this challenge with a lot of dedication and commitment”.

Ernest Agius, BOV’s chief operations officer, said that the marathon is more than a game – “it is a testament to the power of unity”.

Mgr Martin Zammit (fourth from right) and BOV COO Ernest Agius (third from right) at the launch of the volleyball marathon.

“When sport meets solidarity, we build a stronger, more compassionate Malta. At BOV, we are proud to stand beside those who never stop believing in a just and better society.”

On the three evenings of the marathon, between 9pm and midnight, there will be live entertainment by local singers and bands on the main stage purposely built in the car park. Zone 5 will be performing on July 18, folk band Kantera on July 19 and the Spiteri Lucas Band on July 20.

The public may make a donation by calling on the follwoing numbers: 5170 2012 for €15; 5180 2013 for €25; 5190 2070 for €50; and 5130 2044 for €100. The pledge line is 2146 3686.

One can also send their donations via BOV Mobile banking, the BOV Mobile Pay 7932 4834 or PayPal, or make a donation online through the home’s bank accounts. For more information, visit www.sabihlitaghti.org.

CANNONSBURG Kalynn Pease has proven to be a force in the track and field world during her time at Fleming County.

Pease capped off her high school career and added to her impressive medal count by claiming two more first-place prizes at the Class 2A state championship meet, finishing atop the pack in both the 400m dash (58.14) and long jump (18 feet, 2.25 inches).

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“I’m to the point where, if you put me in an event, I want to succeed at it,” Pease said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m just gonna go out here and do this for fun,’ I just want to succeed and learn at every event I’m in.”

The state title in the 400m was an encore from last year. Also in this year’s state meet, she took second place in the 100m (12.36) and 200m (25.35). She won all four aforementioned events at the 2A Region 6 meet.

The stellar performance lands her with yet another prize, this year’s The Daily Independent All-Area Athlete of the Year.

“It feels amazing,” Pease said on receiving the award for the third straight year. “This year, I was really just focusing on healing my shin splints. I’m shocked at what I was able to do with keeping that in mind and thinking about needing to keep from getting more injured so I can compete in college.”

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Despite the laundry list of accomplishments that Pease has, they didn’t come without their own set of challenges. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle was a constant goal, but it meant finding an inner balance while training.

“I really had to listen to my body if I was hurting,” Pease said. “There were times when I needed just to sit and call it quits, even though I wanted to push harder and do more. I had to take a step back and tell myself, ‘You’re taking a step back now, but it’ll put you two more steps forward later on.’”

And with her high school career behind her, Pease sets her sights on accomplishing more goals at the next level at Morehead State.

“Maybe I can get to the NCAAs,” Pease said with a laugh. “It’s not out of the question if I can get where I need to be. and I very well could be. Time will tell. But I’m going to miss Fleming County. I never really had a girls team until this year, so I’m going to miss them and the bond between everyone.”

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While Pease gets ready for her next challenge, Russell coach Chris Holbrook is also looking to the future, which looks bright for his team.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls,” Holbrook said. “We lost a lot from the previous year, so at the beginning, we didn’t know what to expect. We had numbers, but we were just putting them in places. As the year went on, they started to get better.”

The Russell girls team put together a top-notch season and took second in the 2A Region 6 meet behind powerhouse Mason County.

The achievements of this year’s squad landed Holbrook as this year’s The Daily Independent Coach of the Year.

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“I’m Coach of the Year because I had good kids,” Holbrook said. “There’s no way around that. I had kids who would do something even if they didn’t want to. They won the EKC. They got second there in Area 7. … We thought maybe runner-up was possible (at region), but just them finding their place was pretty special this year.”

Holbrook said watching the girls find their place and their event was a pleasure to witness.

“It was neat watching it,” Holbrook said. “There’s no overt reaction, it’s just watching them take ownership of what they’re doing. We’ve had a couple of new girls who came in this year, and at the beginning, they were trying everything. Next thing you know, they found their spot and were able to succeed and win.”

And with plenty of returning athletes ready to continue honing their craft next year, Holbrook thinks there are more goals to accomplish next season.

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“I want them to just keep going,” Holbrook said. “If we can just keep it going, we’re in a good spot. We’ll deal with Mason when we get there. That’s the goal. Just keep ourselves right there, and then one day we’ll sneak up and get one.”

Ashland placed the most athletes on this year’s All-Area team with ten. Those are Jaelyn Brown, Mallorie Caudill, Sadie Chaffins, Piper Griffith, Sarah Hicks, Anniston Mertz, Sydney Mertz, Mena Pittman, Alexis Troxler, and Olivia Wiley.

Both Mertz sisters along with Griffith and Hicks won the 2A Region 6 4×800 event, while Brown, Pittman, Troxler, and Wiley placed second in the 4×200 event at the same meet.

Caudill placed second in the 2A Region 6 100 meter hurdles event with a personal best of 17.02 and qualified for State in the triple jump.

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Chaffins finished fourth in the region 100m event (12.99) and third in both the 300m hurdles (50.32) and high jump (4 feet, 10inches).

Griffith took second in the 1600m run (5:53.96) and third in the 3200m run (13:19.16) at the region meet.

Sydney Mertz placed third in the region 800m event (2:35.26).

In addition to Pease, Fleming County sent six athletes to the squad in the form of Taytum Farrow, Cassie Johnson, Madison McGlone, Maddie Singer, and Ava Watson.

Farrow, Johnson, Singer, and Watson placed second in the 2A Region 6 4x400m event (4:21.30).

Johnson finished third in the region triple jump (32 feet, 9.25 inches).

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McGlone was runner-up in the shot put event (30’10.75”) at region.

Watson finished third in the region 200m event (27.64).

Russell landed four athletes on the list this season: Bethany Allen, Chloe Furguson, Jaycee Hall, and Mya Sarver.

Allen finished second in the 2A Region 6 high jump (5’), third in the long jump (16’9”).

Furguson earned second in the region 3200m race (13.19.03).

Hall won the region discus event (97’2”) and placed fifth at State with a personal record of 105 feet, 1 inch.

Sarver won the region 300m event (48.82).

Boyd County, Menifee County, and Raceland all sent two athletes to this year’s team.

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Sami Govey and Lexi Ramey represented the Lions on the All-Area roster.

Govey won the 1600m and 3200m races at the 2A Region 6 meet.

Ramey captured first place in the region 800m race.

Menifee County added Payton Burgess and Aubrey Golden to the team.

Burgess won the Class A Region 7 high jump, second in the 300m hurdles.

Golden won the region shot put event.

Raceland’s contributions to the team were Alexis Boggs and Sophie Maynard.

Boggs won the Class A Region 7 pole vault event.

Maynard won the region 100m race, 300m hurdles, and triple jump. She also placed second in the region high jump.

Fairview, Johnson Central, Lewis County and Paintsville wrap up this year’s team with one athlete each.

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Bath County’s representative is Alyssa Dyer. She won the 2A Region 7 discus and placed third in shot put.

Fairview sent Emma Pierce to the team. Pierce finished third in the 1A Region 7 400m race.

Johnson Central added Brailyn Harless to the list. Harless won both the 2A Region 7 100m race and 100m hurdles.

Lewis County added Kaitlyn Arnold, who placed third in the Class 2A Region 6 1600m run at the Class 2A, Region 6 meet.

Paintsville capped off this season’s team with Olivia Maynard. Maynard placed third in both the Class A Region 7 high jump and long jump.

The Daily Independent’s sports staff chose the Athlete and Coach of the Year. The All-Area consists of All-State team members, along with season and postseason finish.

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Fleming County’s Pease and Raceland’s Maynard were named to the All-State First Team by the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association. The full team and season results can be found on ky.milesplit.com.

Non-profits encouraged to apply before August 15th deadline

information released; photo above: 2024 Site visit with Thrive Chelan Valley and the Chelan LAB

The Community Foundation of NCW is now accepting applications for Legacy Fund Grants in Cashmere, Chelan Valley, Upper Valley, and Wenatchee Valley. These grants provide unrestricted, community-centered funding to eligible nonprofit organizations serving these communities.

“It’s deeply moving to witness the dedication of local nonprofits throughout our communities,” said Jennifer Short, Director of Community Grants at the Community Foundation of NCW. “The Legacy Fund program is designed to address local needs, guided by those who know their communities best.”

The application window opens July 1 and closes August 15. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities headquartered in Chelan, Douglas, or Okanogan counties. Organizations serving multiple communities may submit a single application indicating all applicable service areas, and fiscal sponsorships are permitted. Public schools are not eligible to apply, while government agencies and faith-based organizations may apply only for project-specific funding that aligns with the Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines, though eligibility for government agencies may vary by region.

Each Legacy Fund serves a defined geographic area with specific coverage. The Cashmere Fund supports nonprofits based in Cashmere, while the Chelan Valley Fund serves organizations in Chelan, Chelan Falls, Entiat, and Manson. The Upper Valley Fund covers Leavenworth, Dryden, Peshastin, Lake Wenatchee, and Plain, and the Wenatchee Valley Fund supports organizations in Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Rock Island, Malaga, Orondo, and Monitor.